Scoring apparatus for remotely scored games



1965 R. K. ANDERSEN ETAL 3,

SCORING APPARATUS FOR REMOTELY SCORED GAMES Filed April 5, 1963 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 3 INVENTOR.

ROBERT K. ANDERSEN BY GEORGE E. WINSLOW MAL / ATTORNEYS 1965 R. K. ANDERSEN ETAL 3,216,726

SCORING APPARATUS FOR REMOTELY SCORED GAMES Filed April 3, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6.

IN V EN TOR.

ERT K. ANDERSEN @EPDRGE E. WINSLOW ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,216,726 SCQRING APPARATU FOR REMOTELY SCURED GAMES Robert K. Andersen, 413 S. Main St., Nephi, Utah, and

George E. Winslow, Salt Lake City, Utah; said Winslow assignor to said Andersen Filed Apr. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 270,275 2 Ciaims. (Cl. 273100) This invention relates to games and game scoring apparatus and is concerned with enabling players of games whose scoring areas are remote from their playing areas to readily ascertain their scores without moving from the playing area.

The invention has been found especially useful in connection with an indoor game of horseshoes, where the pitching area is located at one end of a long court and the scoring area at the other end. Nevertheless, there are other games of somewhat similar nature, e.-g., bowling, shufiieboard, etc., where the same inventive combination can be employed to advantage.

The principal object of the invention is to permit the players to score the game themselves without having to move out of the playing area.

Principal features in the accomplishment of the above object are the provision of a television camera positioned and directed to photograph the game scoring area; a television receiver positioned adjacent to the point of play with its screen arranged for observation by the players; and a closed electrical circuit between the television camera and the receiver, interconnecting them so that the picture photographed by the camera is continuously and immediately transmitted to the receiver.

There is shown in the accompanying drawings a specific embodiment of the invention representing what is presently regarded as the best mode of carrying out the generic concepts in actual practice. From the detailed description of this presently preferred form of the invention, other more specific objects and features will become apparent.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a horseshoe game and scoring apparatus therefor;

FIG. 2, a top view of the same game, with the relative positions of the television camera and receiver shown in dotted lines;

FIG. 3, a cross-sectional elevational View of the game taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and showing the remote scoring area of the horseshoe game;

FIG. 4, a front elevation view of the television receiver showing the scoring grid in position thereon;

FIG. 5, a view similar to FIG. 2, and showing a scoring grid positioned on the scoring area; and

FIG. 6, a bottom view of the television camera and receiver and with the scoring grid in position on the camera.

In the illustrated preferred construction, a pitching alley, used in playing the game of horseshoes, is shown generally at 10. To play the game a player stands behind a foul line 11 in area 12 and pitches horseshoes the length of the alley to scoring area 13, in an attempt to ring the horseshoes around stake 14. The distance 15, between the scoring area and foul line 11 is determined by the desired length of throw.

A television camera 18 is positioned above the impact 3,Zlfi,726 Patented Nov. 9, 1965 area such that it will photograph the entire scoring area.

The pictures taken by the camera are transmitted via closed circuit cable 19 to a television receiver 20 positioned for easy observation above and slightly forward of the foul line 11.

Thus positioned, it is easily observed by game players.

For scoring purposes the screen of the television receiver is preferably provided with a bulls-eye grid overlay 21, so that the position of each pitched shoe will be projected against the overlay, and a point value can be given for each shoe, dependent upon its distance from the stake. It should be apparent, however, that other means could be used to determine the point value of each shoe, as for example, a grid 16 painted on the scoring area itself, or a grid overlay 17 placed over the lens of the camera.

Whereas there is here illustrated and specifically described a certain preferred construction of apparatus which is presently regarded as the best mode of carrying out the invention, it should be understood that various changes may be made and other constructions adopted without departing from the inventive subject matter particulaly pointed out and claimed herebelow.

We claim:

1. In combination, a horseshoe game having a playing area and a scoring area; a stake positioned in and extending upwardly of said scoring area; a television camera positioned above and directed toward said scoring area in a manner whihc enables reproduction of said scoring area substantially without distortion; a television receiver positioned adjacent the area of play and having its screen arranged for observation by players at the playing area; means for transmitting to said television receiver a picture televised by said television camera; and grid means comprising a bulls-eye grid overlay positioned over the screen of the television receiver, said grid means being positioned such that the screen image of the upper end of the stake appears at the center thereof.

2. In combination, a horseshoe game having a playing area and a scoring area; a stake positioned in and extending upwardly of said scoring area; a television camera positioned above and directed toward said scoring area in a manner which enables reproduction of said scoring area substantially without distortion; a television receiver positioned adjacent the area of play and having its screen arranged for observation by players at the playing area; means for transmitting to said television receiver a picture televised by said television camera; and grid means comprising a bulls-eye grid overlay positioned over the lens of the television camera, said grid means being positioned such that the screen image of the upper end of the stake appears at the center of the image of the grid at the television receiver.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Whang 273-54 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A HORSESHOE GAME HAVING A PLAYING AREA AND A SCORING AREA; A STAKE POSITIONED IN AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY OF SAID SCORING AREA; A TELEVISION CAMERA POSITIONED ABOVE AND DIRECTED TOWARD SAID SCORING AREA IN A MANNER WHICH ENABLES REPRODUCTION OF SAID SCORING AREA SUBSTANTIALLY WITHOUT DISTORTION; A TELEVISION RECEIVER POSITIONED ADJACENT THE AREA OF PLAY AND HAVING ITS SCREEN ARRANGED FOR OBSERVATION BY PLAYERS AT THE PLAYING AREA; MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING TO SAID TELEVISION RECEIVER A PICTURE TELEVISED BY SAID TELEVISION CAMERA; AND GRID MEANS COMPRISING A BULLS-EYE GRID OVERLAY POSITIONED OVER THE SCREEN OF THE TELEVISION RECEIVER, SAID GRID MEANS BEING POSITIONED SUCH THAT THE SCREEN IMAGE OF THE UPPER END OF THE STAKE APPEARS AT THE CENTER THEREOF. 